Pay with Miles change now EARNS MQM's & RDM's if redeemed for 1st or business class
Apr 1, 2013, 10:12 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PDX
Posts: 130
Interesting. Maybe an attempt to get the Delta faithful more engaged and used to the pay with miles system, increasing its scope, and a move closer to a full revenue based frequent flier program? Maybe it is a hopeful way to get us to burn miles, getting them off the books in a favorable way for DL. Trade RDM (a liabilty) for MQM (only frequent flier costs if the MQD is met). Sounds good to me! ^
Apr 1, 2013, 11:27 pm
#32
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: Fallen DL DM (PM) 2MM
Posts: 4,783
I guess a big question is if you have to pay 100% with miles -- I would guess not and that is were I can see some value: Say there is a discount BE fare available, but it is higher than my pain threshold. Instead of $2500 cash I might find it worthwhile to do, say, $1500 cash and 100K miles. I almost never use the miles on myself because I'm always short of MQMs. This both gets miles off the books gets some cash for a seat that might otherwise go empty to a NonRev (as they wouldn't do a deep discount BE fare when they thought they could sell a full or slightly discounted fare)
Apr 2, 2013, 1:57 am
#34
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Join Date: Aug 2009
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Yes, at low level to Europe. But, look at it this way, say, and they do run them now and then, you can find a Delta business class ticket to Europe for $1500. So, rather than burn 100k Skymiles and earn NO RDM & MQM, you Pay with Miles and earn class of service bonus, Skybonus maybe, a bunch of RDM & MQM's.
Apr 2, 2013, 2:09 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta Platinum
Posts: 96
I second Greysword on this one. If you think about it, it's another step towards a revenue-based miles redemption program. They're getting people into the habit of burning miles at a preset price of 1 cent per mile for a first/business ticket instead of a flat 45,000 at the saver level. Then they can slowly lower the availability of award tickets even further than it already is so it becomes much easier at the end to simply pull the award ticket option and instead remind people they can have any ticket at any time for 1 cent per mile as if it's a great perk. And tada! Revenue based rewards program.
Apr 2, 2013, 2:22 am
#37
Used to be 'flymanbeast'
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta silver/marriot platinum
Posts: 2,795
I wondering if partner redemption options would stay at similar rates for good. As i think it is even better for delta if we redeem on partners as they barely pay them anything. Also the 100k would get you a stopover and open jaw which you could not get with a discounted business ticket most of the time right?
Apr 2, 2013, 3:05 am
#39
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Maybe. But it is clearly an attack on free domestic upgrades. How many more seats will be snatched up this way now? Same for award seats, how many more will be gone now (with so few to begin with)?
Apr 2, 2013, 5:26 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,202
DL will likely position it as a benefit (I'm surprised they didn't make an announcement, which makes me think its a mistake), but in reality this just is another way to burn miles and have pax 'pay' for an F seat and not give upgrades to elites.
Apr 2, 2013, 5:50 am
#41
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Wilmington, DE
Programs: DL GM, 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHC Spire
Posts: 402
When did this start?
Anyone know the start date of this 'enhancement'? Flew in late Feb on a partially paid with miles on an A fare outbound and an I fare return - got no mileage credit for either.
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the advice.
Apr 2, 2013, 6:09 am
#42
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Premier, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 4,081
Good to know it's working but the real question is whether the PWM portion will earn MQD beginning next year. My guess is no. For those who don't qualify from AmEx spend, this could be an important consideration.
Apr 2, 2013, 6:59 am
#43
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Originally Posted by Sez_Who:20521719
Good to know it's working but the real question is whether the PWM portion will earn MQD beginning next year. My guess is no. For those who don't qualify from AmEx spend, this could be an important consideration.
Apr 2, 2013, 7:33 am
#44
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: West LA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 957
Yes, at low level to Europe. But, look at it this way, say, and they do run them now and then, you can find a Delta business class ticket to Europe for $1500. So, rather than burn 100k Skymiles and earn NO RDM & MQM, you Pay with Miles and earn class of service bonus, Skybonus maybe, a bunch of RDM & MQM's.
Apr 2, 2013, 7:57 am
#45
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: Delta skymiles DM + 1MM
Posts: 8,144
well, sort of. its an option. But, I just spent 30 minutes trying to find a PWM ticket on JFK to NRT for under 560,000 miles. Even though I can redeem as little as 225,000 for a business class award ticket on JFK to NRT, the same exact itinerary if I wanted to use PWM is 560,000 miles. It seems that all PWM tickets going TPAC are 560,000 miles.
If you can find aTPAC PWM fare for under 560,000 miles, please let me know cause I can't.
If you can find aTPAC PWM fare for under 560,000 miles, please let me know cause I can't.